So where did I get this sense of responsibility, this idea that I need to look after people, this loyalty? My astrology-buff friends would say it's in my stars. I think it is more in my upbringing, and in my place as a middle child. Middle children are the renowned diplomats and peacemakers. But as well as that it comes from being influenced by my father's sense of sticking to his principals. He thought about principals and lived by them. It almost seems quaint and old-fashioned now, but it gave me a real sense of security as a kid. He had a strong sense of right and wrong; I remember feeling very secure knowing that. Sure, he had his flaws, but he was strong, reliable and he would be there when I needed him. He could not offer an abundance of financial security, but he did offer emotional security and values, which I feel now were more important. Sometimes feeling responsible for others can be a weight and can cause us to ignore our own needs at some expense to ourselves. We have to learn, sometimes the hard way, that it is not a bad thing to put ourselves first. I don't mean in a selfish way, but in an assertive way that is better for everyone. Being able to set healthy boundaries provides a healthy role model for those around us. Let me share this idea of responsibility with you. I can't recall where I first came across this quote, but it has certainly stuck in my brain: "We have a responsibility to everyone to ensure that WE are happy." All the best to you for ensuring your own happiness. :)

Back from the big wide world

I'm home. Finally, after four months of travelling, I am in my own home, sleeping in my own bed, and not living out of a suitcase. It's not a bad feeling – I live in a beautiful part of the world. So I feel almost guilty to admit I was in no hurry to return at all. To me, nothing is as good as travel, particularly when one has a compatible someone with whom to share it. Now I feel refreshed and renewed. Because I have seen different countries and cultures for the first time, it's as though my eyes have been opened. I am different. And I'm aware of what a privilege it is to be able to travel, particularly as not everyone can. In beautiful Sri Lanka, for instance, a third-world country I have come to like very much, the vast majority of the population could only dream about travel. We in the first world are so economically rich by comparison, but not necessarily richer in a spiritual sense. My eyes have also been opened to the vastness and variety of the good old USA where the food, social mixes, accents and music change from state to state, making it endlessly interesting. Previously, my ideas about it had been based on politics or what I read in the newspapers or saw on television. Now, to my surprise, I feel I can't get enough of the US, and I look forward to seeing more one day. I will always remember the interesting conversations and heart-warming encounters I experienced with many people, a couple of whom I now count as friends. It's hard to imagine that before leaving home, I had worried about whether I would miss it and want to return earlier. Now I feel liberated – nothing terrible happened as a result of stepping away from my old routines. The ground didn't cave in. This has caused me to consider the sense of responsibility that has always been such a part of my personal makeup. Next blog, I will write more about that. Until then, I wish you plenty of harmony, health and humour in your own life.